Overview

The Greater Portland Economic Development District (GPEDD), doing business as Greater Portland 2020 and staffed by Greater Portland Inc, is a not-for-profit organization working in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties in Oregon and Clark County in Washington. GPEDD is funded primarily through grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). GPEDD focuses on economic development and the following tasks:

Coordinates regional responses to U.S. federal government economic development grant opportunities, such as the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) and the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (JIAC) grants

Greater Portland 2020's Council (GPEDD's Board) meets regularly.

Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP)

The Pacific Northwest Manufacturing Partnership (PNMP) was formed in response to a federal initiative: the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), which aims to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in the United States and create a competitive climate for job creation and private investment. On July 8, 2015, a bi-state supra-region led by Business Oregon that includes Greater Portland received the designation of "Manufacturing Community" that gives the supra-region elevated consideration for $1.3 billion in federal dollars and assistance from 13 cabinet departments and agencies. The strength and synergy of the PNMP is woven in our combined "manufacturing ecosystem.” The PNMP region's historical strength in materials and metals forms the basis of the Advanced Materials Science for Advanced Manufacturing cluster.

Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge (JIAC)

TheJIAC grants are a partnership between the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, with the Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals grant also including the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy.

JIAC Clean Tech Advance InitiativeThe Greater Portland region was awarded in October 2011 $2,150,000 in federal funds to accelerate innovation in clean technologies for the next three years, later extended. The Clean Tech Advance Initiative is a bi-state partnership under the leadership of the Portland Development Commission to support innovation and job creation in the Clean Tech and Advanced Manufacturing Industry Clusters.

JIAC Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals n in October 2012 the Greater Portland region was awarded $2,192,000 in federal funds to accelerate innovation in the advanced materials and metals industries for the next three years. The Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals is a bi-state partnership under the leadership on the Columbia River Economic Development Commission to support advanced manufacturers that specialize in metals, machinery, computer and electronics, plastics, composites, polymers, and other advanced materials.